Pigeon Power

We came, we saw, we... lost by 5 points. A good evening soon to be repeated, hopefully. What we need is a team of about fifty people. Then we'd have all the answers.

In other news, this has been occupying my mind:
Decision to be made today, after consultation. The devil of it is, this deal makes all kinds of sense, including financial, but the appeal of a "shiny new thing" makes me hesitate. Have I been seduced by marketing? Should I keep fixing up the old bike no matter the cost?

Drums are now in Felixstowe, waiting to go on a wagon. I can't track them from here so I just have to wait for the knock on the door. Seems like years ago that I packed everything up in the Bangkok apartment.

Pesky Pigeons Night

Wednesday, and we're off to the pub. Could get messy, especially the fight to avoid being nominated driver.

Here's a jolly ditty that reminds me and Lynny of a happy afternoon sitting in a bar in Chatuchak market getting slowly pissed with Maureen:

Electric Gypsyland - Usti, Usti Baba (Senor Coconut Remix)

In other news, my freight is in the Channel:



Not long now. Soon I'll be making myself unpopular with my heavy foot action and poor sticking technique.

Work is improving - I've gone from having nothing to do to having too much to do, which is much better.

Later, I'm busy ok?

Korea? Nah.

It's off. Staying home for the good weather.

Oh, and the drums have been through the Straits os Gibraltar - next stop Felixstowe.


I've made a space for them in the study. Hang on, that's the room above Odette's bedroom and has a wooden floor. Hmmm, anyone got any rubber matting?

Sorry O.

Laters

Drums update

(Tip - Start up the music while you read - it's an electronic track, bit of a head-nodder)

LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great

Nearing Valencia. Hope they don't stay for the weekend...



In other news, wifey's back with tales of Irish weather we've all heard before. Now our house really begins to fill up, with the arrival on Saturday of Emma and Jodie, and attendant furniture/luggage. Looks like a weekend of logistics is approaching - "Logistics" being a euphemism for lugging piles of stuff up and down stairs. So many stairs, why did I buy this stack of shoe boxes? I swear, if our house was a bungalow it would cover an area roughly the size of Wembley stadium. Oy, my back twinges at the thought of all those suitcases and bags. At least the weather looks to be improving. Plenty of tea breaks on the roof, that's the secret.

While we're on lifting and stairs, are there any non-crippled readers in the Bolton area, willing to dismantle Wifey's installation? The doors (roughly 20 and very heavy) need to be carried down two flights of narrow stairs and loaded onto a trailer, then delivered to a reclamation yard in Macclesfield. I was originally ruled out of this lug-fest due to injury, but now that I've successfully negotiated a squash training session without any increase in back pain, I suppose I'm back in the frame. (see what I did there? No, thought not)

Still thinking about South Korea but the agent hasn't called me, so I guess that means I'm not wanted. Sniff.

Tour update: a proper ding-dong yesterday between the only two riders in with a shout, Bert and the Schleckster. How can two men be so much better than two hundred others? I wish I was young, I'd love to have a go. But back to yesterday, it was really gripping stuff, the battle the fans have been waiting for, ten kilometres of just the two of them up a huge hill called Le Tourmalet, Schleck doing his absolute utmost to shake off the Spaniard, while the rest of the the field were left far behind. In the end they crossed the line virtually together, meaning there are still 8 seconds between them with one individual time trial to go before Paris. Mister Wiggins has set himself the target of winning that time trial, and he might just do it, but the top two are so far ahead that the only real interest is the comparison between them. Ok enough Tour talk.

Still reading? Well done. Bye.

Korea

Hmmm, South Korea. Now there's a thought...

It's in the Med

Just researched the vessel that's bringing my stuff from Thailand (MSC ALEXANDRA - she's a big one, see picture) and found a ship-tracking site. Apparently my drums are somewhere north of Tobruk in the Eastern Mediterranean. How that affects the ETA next tuesday I don't know. I'll have another look tomorrow to see how far it's moved.





Couple of things irritating me:

Adverts for online poker with real people in - don't get the idea that you're not sad and lonely.
Adverts for cars with no other cars in - don't get the idea that you won't be queueing to get along the high street just like all the other poor saps.

Actually I should just put "Adverts in General". I turn on the telly to be entertained, not sold things I don't need. Ditto the radio, although I only really listen to non-commercial channels.

Wifey's in Ireland for a few days, which adds to my grumpiness. Nobody to complain at me so I get anxious.

And finally, in place of a tour update, a quote:

"It is nice to be recognised for actually achieving something in life as opposed to spending seven weeks in a house on TV with a load of other muppets."

- Bradley Wiggins, after finishing 4th in the tour last year.

I like that.

Laters

Dressing Up French

It was recently Bastille day, so what better theme for the latest New Mills Pub Quiz Night? Much hilarity ensued, and my team (l'equipe) won the cup, and the dubious honour of hosting the next event. Some pictures:










That's me in the hat by the way - I went without glasses so couldn't read any of the questions, and had a roaring headache halfway through the night. A couple of paracetamol sorted it out in case you're worried.

David (the man in the French maid getup) later ventured into the pubs of New Mills with a charity bucket, collecting for "Help For Heroes". We all accompanied him and personally I was glad to be virtually un-recognisable.

Enjoy your Sunday, readers. I'l be straining to re-grow my beard.

Laters

Pesky Pigeons

No, not real ones - it's our quiz team.

Went to the Globe in Glossop for the second wednesday running, and had a good time drinking beer, doing the quiz and eating lots and lots of vegan food.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a meat-eater and always will be, so when I read "Vegan food", my mind shows me picures of uninteresting and slightly unsatisfying bowls of lentils, but the reality is very different - at least it is in the Globe. They serve a hotpot late on, free to anyone who enters the 50p raffle, and it's delicious, but I prefer to get there well before the 9.30 start and tank up on a delicious chickpea & spinach curry. The place has its own micro-brewery and there's always a choice of ales on offer at extremely reasonable prices. Good times.

Any of our readers who can get there on wednesdays can consider themselves honorary members of the Pesky Pigeons. We need as much help as we can get.

Tour update - Arms Legstrong has blown his shack (guffaw), Cavendish is up to two stage wins and our man Wiggins is "Reviewing the situation" after Bert the acountant and the younger Mr Schleck reminded us why they are the favourites. Cadel Evans the ozzy with the Welsh name breifly wore yellow but wilted on the next big climb.

Laters.

Rejoice!

They just announced that after the BBC Trust's consultation period, common sense has prevailed, and 6Music is not closing.

Now I'm relieved because it'd be a bit daft spending all that money on a DAB radio just to listen to Radio 4, Radio 2 (occasionally), 5 Live (rarely), and Radio 1 (almost never), which are all on FM anyway.

In other music-related news, wifey has demanded I buy her the first four Mike Oldfield albums, which remind her of her lost youth. I remember quite liking them, but time will tell how much time has told. I have a feeling they are going to sound quite dated.

Tour update: Arms Legstrong had a good prologue and is high up the order; Bert the Accountant (Alberto Contador to you) is also doing well; Manxman Mark Cavendish fell on his arse yesterday, and our man Wiggins is nowhere.

Hits

..and that was the 1000th hit on Squirrel Times, only about 900 of which were me, checking the hit counter.

For the geeks out there, Ferret Times was at about 9300 when we all shuffled over here.

Liquorice

Love is liquorice. Do not discuss.

I have four brown bags of the stuff on my desk (thanks O) and I cannot stop eating it. The extra-salty is best.

Did anyone say mouth ulcer?

Laters

Crossword 4 #6

Two clues left, two in it..

Odette 34
Alex 32


Across:
23. Graeme, former Goodie (6)
29. Unit of measurement (3)

Crossword 4 #5

Odette 33
Alex 31

Across:
14. A drunk (3)
23. Graeme, former Goodie (6)
29. Unit of measurement (3)

Down:
39. "Electric ----land", Jimi Hendrix album (4)

Crossword 4 #4

Update:

Odette 33
Alex 21

Sandy where are you?



Across:
1. 70's album by The Faces (5,1,4,6)
10. Popular video game (7)
14. A drunk (3)
20. To inform in advance (6)
23. Graeme, former Goodie (6)
29. Unit of measurement (3)
32. Compliment (6)
38. Very pleased (6)
40. Residue (3)
42. Period of involvement (5)

Down:
19. Let go (7)
24. Bitten (6)
31. Kind (31)
39. "Electric ----land", Jimi Hendrix album (4)
51. Top (4)

DABtastic

My last boredom-fuelled purchase (curtailed due to limited disposable income) is working well. I've always wanted a DAB radio and now I have one sitting on my desk. I can get 6music on it so I don't have to rely on defeating the anti-streaming software they use at work.

Unfortunately that means I'll regularly be buying cd's due to hearing stuff I like. Sorry bank manager. It also means music will keep appearing on here. I hear something I like and of course everybody has to be bombarded with it.

Here's a thing - music appreciation. I was walking along the street the other day when I heard Whitney Houston's "I-yee-I-yee-I will always love-a-yooo" belting out of someone's house. I've hated it since it came out, being as it is a showcase for a voice I find too big and soulless. However, I got to thinkng, if that record is still giving someone pleasure after all this time then I need to rethink my definition of the term "Music fan". Some people must love that voice, or it could be "Pleasure by association" i.e. the record reminds the listener of happier times, which triggers nice feelings. Still, the person is happy on hearing the song - what else is required? Curious thing, music. Discuss.

Crossword 4 #3

All to play for folks..

Odette: 28
Alex: 21



Across:
1. 70's album by The Faces (5,1,4,6)
10. Popular video game (7)
14. A drunk (3)
20. To inform in advance (6)
23. Graeme, former Goodie (6)
26. A short glug (3)
29. Unit of measurement (3)
32. Compliment (6)
38. Very pleased (6)
40. Residue (3)
42. Period of involvement (5)
50. Pigment (5)
57. Mexican dish (4)

Down:
3. Past (3)
10. Window gunk (5)
19. Let go (7)
24. Bitten (6)
31. Kind (31)
39. "Electric ----land", Jimi Hendrix album (4)
51. Top (4)